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Immigration service intelligence and investigation unit, Harmondsworth                                                                                                                                          

                           Offenders identified                                                                                                                                                                 

                           from the following                                                                                                                                                                   

                           sources                                                                                                                                                                              

                          |(i)                      |(ii)                     |(iii)                    |(iv)                     |(v)                      |(vi)                                               

                          |Police call-outs         |Denunciations            |Home Office files        |Other Government agencies|Major or middle tier     |Other enquiries                                    

                                                                                                                                  |operations                                                                   

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1988                                                                                                                                                                                                            

January                   |87                       |24                       |53                       |n/a                      |20                       |0                                                  

February                  |69                       |27                       |40                       |n/a                      |18                       |2                                                  

March                     |75                       |23                       |55                       |n/a                      |18                       |3                                                  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                

April                                                                                                                                                                                                           

May                       |203                      |58                       |113                      |n/a                      |34                       |1                                                  

June                                                                                                                                                                                                            

                                                                                                                                                                                                                

July                                                                                                                                                                                                            

August                    |216                      |61                       |131                      |n/a                      |41                       |3                                                  

September                                                                                                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                                                                                                                                

October                                                                                                                                                                                                         

November                  |270                      |75                       |102                      |n/a                      |60                       |0                                                  

December                                                                                                                                                                                                        

                                                                                                                                                                                                                

1989                                                                                                                                                                                                            

January                   |95                       |40                       |15                       |n/a                      |28                       |16                                                 

February                  |134                      |36                       |24                       |n/a                      |3                        |18                                                 

March                     |94                       |30                       |24                       |n/a                      |54                       |9                                                  

April                     |117                      |14                       |18                       |n/a                      |0                        |27                                                 

May                       |83                       |21                       |20                       |n/a                      |3                        |7                                                  

June                      |97                       |12                       |15                       |n/a                      |20                       |9                                                  

Asylum-Seekers

Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how often and in what circumstances the immigration and nationality department discloses information held on computer about asylum-seekers and their families to (a) past, current or prospective employers and employees, (b) other members of their families, (c) advisers and advice workers, (d) the Department of Social Security, (e) other Government Departments, (f) police forces, (g) judges, magistrates and the courts, (h) the prison and probation services, (i) education establishments, (j) public libraries, the press and media, (k) the registrar general and (l) hon. Members of the House of Lords ; and whether asylum-seekers are told that information collected from and about them is liable to be disclosed in this way.

Mr. Renton : Information on individual asylum seekers is treated in strict confidence. Information which is held on the refugee index is used for statistical purposes and as an aid to case workers in the Home Office's refugee unit. There is no disclosure from it outside Government of information on individual cases.

Toxteth (Policing)

Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Chief Constable of Merseyside as to what action he is taking in response to the report of Lord Gifford, concerning police involvement in drug trafficking.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : No formal allegations concerning the involvement of police officers in drug trafficking are made by Lord Gifford in his report.


Column 498

Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he intends to take in the light of the findings of Lord Gifford's inquiry into policing in Toxteth, a copy of which has been sent to him.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : My right hon. Friend does not consider that Lord Gifford's report presents an objective and balanced assessment of the considerable progress made in improving police community relations in Liverpool 8 since 1981. Nor does he consider that there is a case for the establishment of an official inquiry into policing of the area.

Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he expects any prosecutions to arise in the light of Lord Gifford's allegations concerning trafficking of drugs in Toxteth.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : The question of whether a prosecution should be brought in any particular case is entirely one for the Crown prosecution service in the light of the evidence obtained by the police.

Small Businesses

Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the achievements of his Department and his policies in helping small businesses over the last 12 months compared with the previous 12 months ; and if he will publish the performance indicators by which his Department monitors those achievements and the statistical results of such monitoring.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : Over the past 12 months, the Home Office has helped small firms by improving the information, access and opportunities necessary to enable them to tender for our business. We have issued a booklet


Column 499

entitled "Selling to the Home Office", which provides details of our typical purchasing needs and guidance for potential suppliers on where and how to make the initial approach. The purchasing powers of local offices throughout England and Wales have also been increased ; minimising procedures and extending opportunities for small firms. Home Office performance indicators on purchasing are directed at getting better value for the money we spend, and do not differentiate between the size of firms to which contracts are awarded or provide statistical information about business placed with small firms.

Telephones (Prisoners' Access)

Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department at what times of day grant of access to telephones is made at (a) each open prison, (b) each category C prison and (c) designated female and young offender establishments ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : Cardphones for inmates' use have so far been generally installed only at open establishments. The times at which inmates have access to them are a matter for the governors concerned, but the main periods during which they can be used (a) on weekdays and (b) at weekends are as follows :

HMP Askham Grange (a) 6 pm--9 pm (b) 9 am--9 pm ; HMP/YOI Drake Hall (a) 5.45 pm/9.30 pm-- (b) 8 am--9.30 pm ; HMP/HMYOI East Sutton Park (a) 11.50 am--1.05 pm, 4.30 pm--9.00 pm (b) 8.00 am--9.00 pm ; HMYOI Finnamore Wood (a) 6.15 pm--8.15 pm (b) 12 noon--4.45 pm ; HMP Ford : all times other than midnight--7.45 am and periods of employment ; HMP Foston Hall (a) 5.30 pm-- 8.30 pm (b) 10.30 am--8.30 pm ; HMYOI Guys Marsh (a) and (b) 5.30 pm--8.30 pm ; HMYOI Hatfield (a) 6.00 pm--8.45 pm ; (b) times differ according to location within establishment ; HMYOI Hewell Grange (a) 5.30 pm--8.00 pm (b) (Saturday) 10.30 am--12 noon, (Sunday) 5.30 pm--8.00 pm ; HMP Highpoint (a) 6.00 pm--11.00 pm (b) all day ; HMYOI Hollesley Bay Colony (a) and (b) 6.00 pm--8.00 pm ; HMP Kirkham (a) and (b) 12 noon--12.45 pm, 5.00 pm--8.45 pm ; HMP Leyhill (a) and (b) 7.30 am--9.00 pm ; HMP Lindholme (a) and (b) all day to 10.45 pm, excluding periods of employment ; HMYOI Lowdham Grange (a) 5.00 pm--8.30 pm (b) all day ; HMP Morton Hall (a) and (b) 11.30 am-- 1.15 pm, (Monday--Thursday) 4.30 pm--10.15 pm, (Friday--Sunday) 4.30 pm-- 11.00 pm ; HMP North Sea Camp (a) 5.30 pm--8.30 pm (b) 8.30 am--8.30 pm ; HMP Rudgate (a) 5.30 pm--8.30 pm (b) 12.30 pm--4.00 pm, 5.00 pm--8.30 pm ; HMP Spring Hill (a) 12 noon--1.00 pm, 5.00 pm--10.00 pm, (b) 9.00 am--10 pm ; HMP Standford Hill (a) and (b) 7.40 am--8.20 am, 12 noon--1.00 pm, 4.00 pm--9.00 pm ; HMYOI Thorn Cross (a) 6.00 pm--8.00 pm (b) plus (Friday) 9.00 am--12 noon, 6.00 pm--8.00 pm, (Friday only) 2.00 pm--5.30 pm ; HMYOI Usk (a) 6.00 pm--8.30 pm (b) 10.30 am--11.45 am.

Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the maximum value of phonecard permitted for purchase by prisoners, and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : The maximum value is £2. All inmates may however hold two cards, or more at the discretion of the governor.

Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the ratio of telephones to prisoners at (a) each open prison, (b) each category C prison and (c) designated female and young offender establishments ; and if he will make a statement.


Column 500

Mr. Douglas Hogg : Cardphones for the use of inmates have so far been generally installed only at open establishments. The average numbers of inmates to each cardphone is approximately as follows : HMP Askham Grange 59 ; HMP/HMYOI Drake Hall 75 ; HMP/HMYOI East Sutton Park 75 ; HMYOI Finnamore Wood 293 ; HMP Ford 89 ; HMP Forston Hall 207 ; HMYOI Guys Marsh 145 ; HMYOI Hatfield 221 ; HMYOI Hewell Grange 133 ; HMP Highpoint (Category D only) 71 ; HMYOI Hollesley Bay Colony 465 ; HMP Kirkham 168 ; HMP Leyhill 189 ; HMP Lindholme 51 ; HMYOI Lowdham Grange 127 ; HMP Morton Hall 85 ; HMP North Sea Camp 220 ; HMP Rudgate 125 ; HMP Spring Hill 102 ; HMP Standford Hill 72 ; HMYOI Thorn Cross 116 ; HMYOI Usk 75.

Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which prisons are eligible to install telephones for prisoners do not yet have them ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : The following establishments are due to install cardphones for the use of inmates before the end of this year : HMP Acklington ; HMP Aldington ; HMP Blantyre House ; HMYOI Buckley Hall ; HMP/HMYOI Bullwood Hall ; HMP Camp Hill ; HMYOI Campsfield House ; HMP Channings Wood ; HMP Cookham Wood ; HMYOI Deerbolt ; HMYOI Dover ; HMYOI Eastwood Park ; HMP Erlestoke ; HMYOI Everthorpe ; HMP Featherstone ; HMYOI Feltham ; HMYOI Glen Parva ; HMP Gloucester (Cat C Unit Only) ; HMP Haverigg ; HMP Highpoint ; HMYOI Huntercombe ; HMYOI Kirklevington Grange ; HMP Lancaster ; HMP Littlehey ; HMYOI The Mount ; HMP/HMYOI New Hall : HMYOI Northallerton ; HMP Northeye ; HMP Norwich (Britannia Training Prison) ; HMYOI Onley ; HMYOI Portland ; HMP Ranby ; HMP/HMYOI Rochester ; HMP Send ; HMP Stafford ; HMP Stocken ; HMYOI Stoke Heath ; HMP/HMYOI Styal ; HMP Thorp Arch ; HMP Wayland ; HMYOI Wellingborough ; HMYOI Werrington ; HMYOI Wetherby ; HMYOI Whatton ; HMP Wymott.

Malicious Communications

Mr. Janner : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints have been made in the London metropolitan area under the Malicious Communications Act 1988 ; and what was their outcome.

Mr. John Patten : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 13 July 1989 at column 644 .

Mr. Janner : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement about publicity given to the effect of the Malicious Communications Act 1988 ;

(2) what sums he has spent on publicity to draw the attention of the public to the effects of the Malicious Communications Act 1988 ; (3) whether he will take steps to increase public awareness of the provisions of the Malicious Communications Act 1988.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : We issued a press notice on 29 July 1988, when the Malicious Communications Act 1988 received Royal Assent, drawing attention to the Act's provisions. A Home Office circular was issued on 1 September 1988 to the courts, the police and the Crown prosecution service to explain the provisions of the Act and to advise of its commencement on 29 September. It is not possible to calculate the costs of issuing the press notice and circular without incurring disproportionate cost. The Government continue to take opportunities to keep members of the public informed about developments in the criminal law.


Column 501

Bail Hostels, Leeds and Bradford

Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many bail hostels exist in the Leeds and Bradford area ; what other forms of accommodation are available for persons on bail ; what plans there are for increasing the number of hostels ; and what advice is given to magistrates on the use of bail hostels.

Mr. John Patten : There are six approved hostels in the Leeds and Bradford area which take bailees--four in Leeds, one in Cleckheaton and one in Bradford amounting to 113 places in all. We have agreed in principle to outline proposals for two more hostels and additional places at existing hostels in West Yorkshire by April 1990 which will provide a further 50 to 52 beds.

There is a wide range of other housing agency hostels and self-contained accommodation available for bailees including supported lodgings.

The presumption in favour of bail was firmly established by the Bail Act 1976. More recently guidance on bail, including accommodation, was issued to magistrates courts on 11 May 1988 in Home Office circular 25/1988. A list of all approved hostels and their catchment areas is issued to courts by the Home Office from time to time ; local probation areas notify courts when a new hostel opens.

We are also encouraging the development of bail information schemes which give courts better information on which to take decisions about bail. A new scheme is due to start in Leeds on 31 July and a feasibility study is under way in Bradford.

Armley Prison

Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hospital officers and medical officers work on the hospital wing of Armley prison during the day and during the night as distinct from the total number of staff employed to provide a service, for 1988 and 1989.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : Because staffing levels vary from day to day it is not possible to make comparisons between whole years. The following information gives the situation at the mid-point of each year, that is, 30 June.

On 30 June 1988 four full-time and two part-time medical officers attended during the day, one of the latter also attending in the evening. The same pattern occurred on 30 June 1989 except that five full-time medical officers attended on that day. On both dates one doctor was on call at night.

The number of hospital officers working during the day on both dates ranged at different times between four and 10, and one officer on duty at night.

Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the staff-prisoner ratio on B wing of Her Majesty's Armley prison; and what training is given to staff in suicide prevention and dealing with young persons now and in 1988.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : There were 227 inmates on B wing on 21 July, and 23 staff are generally assigned to work on the wing. Training for prison staff in how best to identify and help suicidal inmates was introduced in 1987. Fifty-one staff at Leeds prison had been so trained by February 1989; 125 staff have now been trained, and


Column 502

weekly training courses are to take place throughout the autumn with the intention of training all staff by the end of the year.

Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of persons on remand as a percentage of the total number of prisoners in custody in Her Majesty's prison Armley in 1988 and 1989 to date.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : The information is given in the table.


Remand population as a percentage of the total population of Leeds                                                      

prison: January 1988 to May 1989                                                                                        

Month end               |Untried                |Convicted unsentenced  |Total population number                        

                        |Per cent.              |Per cent.              |(100 per cent.)                                

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1988                                                                                                                    

January                 |49                     |6                      |1,380                                          

February                |50                     |7                      |1,350                                          

March                   |46                     |6                      |1,340                                          

April                   |48                     |6                      |1,320                                          

May                     |49                     |4                      |1,350                                          

June                    |48                     |6                      |1,370                                          

July                    |44                     |6                      |1,390                                          

August                  |48                     |6                      |1,400                                          

September               |46                     |8                      |1,310                                          

October                 |49                     |9                      |1,260                                          

November                |48                     |8                      |1,280                                          

December                |46                     |6                      |1,210                                          

1989                                                                                                                    

January                 |48                     |6                      |1,290                                          

February                |46                     |6                      |1,290                                          

March                   |47                     |5                      |1,270                                          

April                   |43                     |5                      |1,240                                          

May                     |45                     |5                      |1,280                                          

Attempted Suicides, Armley and Hull

Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the numbers of incidents classified as suicide attempts and self mutilations at Armley and Hull prisons in 1988 and 1989.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : Five incidents of self-injury were reported by the medical officer at Leeds during the year ending 31 March 1988, and 39 in the subsequent year. The corresponding figures at Hull were 53 and 93.

Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who is responsible for deciding to classify an incident as a self mutilation or an attempted suicide at Armley prison ; and what criteria are used.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : At all prison service establishments medical officers are responsible for distinguishing acts of non-fatal self-injury which are considered to have been committed with suicidal intent from those which appear not to have been so motivated. The categorisation of individual cases is a matter for clinical judgment on the part of the doctor.

Suicides (Hull Prison)

Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many suicides there were in Hull prison among (a) young people and (b) remand prisoners during 1988 and 1989.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : There were no inmate suicides at Her Majesty's prison Hull during the period in question.


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Leeds Prison

Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the functions of Leeds prison ; and how many category A prisoners are held there now and in 1988.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : Her Majesty's prison Leeds is a local prison. As such its main function is to keep unsentenced prisoners in custody for the courts and to present them for trial or sentence ; and to receive sentenced prisoners from the courts, keeping them in custody until they are categorised and allocated to training prisons or until they become due for release.

Six category A prisoners were held in Leeds prison on 30 June this year, and 10 on 30 June 1988.

Everthorpe

Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the proposed plans for the site at Everthorpe ; and when it will be completed.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : It is proposed to build a remand centre for 300 inmates next to HM young offenders institute Everthorpe. Detailed designs are now being prepared. Construction is planned to begin towards the end of this year, with the establishment opening early in 1992.

Strip Cells

Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is prison policy on the use of strip cells for persons who have attempted suicide ; and if counselling is available for those who last attempted suicide.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : Guidelines on the use of stripped rooms for suicidal inmates are set out in paragraph 33 of circular instruction 20/1989, a copy of which is in the Library. Counselling is normally available to all inmates from prison staff, particularly medical officers, chaplains and seconded probation officers ; the help of Samaritans is also now available to prisoners at a substantial number of establishments.

Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the usage of strip cells in Armley and Hull prisons in 1988 and 1989 ; how many cells exist ; for what purpose they are used ; and how long each person is held.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible and deposit a copy of the reply in the Library.

Remand Prisoners, Leeds

Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans exist for building recreational or other facilities for the exclusive use of young persons on remand at Leeds.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : The expansion and modernisation of Leeds prison currently in progress includes the provision of a new sports hall, outdoor sports areas and a library and educational block. Association and education facilities will also be provided in the two new living wings which are being built to house remand prisoners. Work on


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these wings is due to begin in March 1990. The whole programme of work is scheduled for completion in 1997, but many of the supporting facilities will be in use by the early 1990s. It will be for the governor to decide the arrangements for the use of these facilities by young persons on remand in the light of operational needs.

Armley and Hull Prisons

Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average daily intake of prisoners at Armley and Hull, including the maximum and minimum figures for May, June, August, November 1988 and May and June of the current year.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : The information requested is given in the table.


Her Majesty's Prison, Hull                                                                               

Month                |Average daily intake|Daily maximum       |Daily minimum                            

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1988                                                                                                     

May                  |55                  |97                  |2                                        

June                 |53                  |88                  |8                                        

August               |53                  |96                  |2                                        

November             |56                  |90                  |3                                        

                                                                                                         

1989                                                                                                     

May                  |50                  |83                  |6                                        

June                 |50                  |105                 |5                                        


Her Majesty's Prison, Hull                                                                               

Month                |Average daily intake|Daily maximum       |Daily minimum                            

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1988                                                                                                     

May                  |55                  |97                  |2                                        

June                 |53                  |88                  |8                                        

August               |53                  |96                  |2                                        

November             |56                  |90                  |3                                        

                                                                                                         

1989                                                                                                     

May                  |50                  |83                  |6                                        

June                 |50                  |105                 |5                                        

Dyfed-Powys Police

Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the following statistics for the Dyfed-Powys police force for each year since 1974 (a) the number of police officers, (b) the number of civilian staff employed, (c) the total population and (d) the ratio of population to police officers.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : The information requested is set out in the table.


Dyfed Powys                                                                                                                                     

At 31 December          |Police officers        |Civilians<1>           |Population<2>          |Police-population ratio                        

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1974                    |850                    |168                    |420,300                |505                                            

1975                    |912                    |190                    |422,500                |461                                            

1976                    |908                    |190                    |424,600                |464                                            

1977                    |908                    |190                    |425,100                |464                                            

1978                    |907                    |190                    |430,000                |469                                            

1979                    |918                    |194                    |431,000                |461                                            

1980                    |929                    |194                    |433,000                |464                                            

1981                    |925                    |197                    |433,000                |464                                            

1982                    |930                    |200                    |443,000                |474                                            

1983                    |924                    |204                    |444,000                |475                                            

1984                    |922                    |208                    |446,000                |478                                            

1985                    |924                    |210                    |446,000                |478                                            

1986                    |929                    |198                    |447,000                |477                                            

1987                    |929                    |209                    |451,000                |482                                            

1988                    |927                    |215                    |457,000                |489                                            

<1> Part-time civilians are included on a 2 for 1 basis.                                                                                        

<2> As at 30 June.                                                                                                                              

Prisons (Catering Costs)

Mr. Bendall : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the approximate cost of the daily main meal for prisoners in Her Majesty's prisons ; and what is the weekly food budget per prisoner.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : The average weekly notional cost of food per prisoner in Her Majesty's prisons, including items supplied from prison farms and gardens, is £6.10 ; the approximate cost of food for the daily main meal is 44p.

County Fire Service, Wales

Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many section 19 applications he has received during each of the last five years in respect of the county fire service in Wales ; and what was the outcome in each case.

Mr. John Patten : The information requested is not immediately available : I will reply as soon as possible.

Mr. Xu Hai Ning

Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the entry and resident status in the United Kingdom of Mr. Xu Hai Ning, a citizen of China ; and if he has received any information from the immigration services concerning the circumstances of his departure.

Mr. Renton : Mr. Xu applied for asylum in Hong Kong. He arrived in the United Kingdom on 30 June and was given leave to enter for 12 months. On 17 July he contacted his embassy in London and said he wished to return to China. Immediately before his departure on 18 July the immigration service took steps to interview him privately and he told them that he was leaving voluntarily.

Chinese Citizens

Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to protect Chinese citizens who are in the United Kingdom from pressure and threats to return to China.

Mr. Renton : Any Chinese national who feels at risk in the United Kingdom should contact the police. If the immigration service has reason to believe that someone is leaving the United Kingdom under pressure it will take steps to offer him a private interview before his departure.

Overseas Students (Vacation Employment)

Mrs. Roe : To ask the Secretary of State for Home Department when he expects to be able to give a substantive reply to the hon. Member for Broxbourne in relation to correspondence from Mr. Baxendale of Cuffley, on the subject of paid employment during vacations for full-time overseas students, forwarded to the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Mid- Sussex (Mr. Renton) on 30 November1988, 5 January, 7 February, 22 March, 12 April and 17 May ; what are the reasons for the delay ; and if he will make a statement.


Column 506

Mr. Renton : My right hon. Friend wrote to my hon. Friend on 21 July. I am very sorry for the delay in dealing with this correspondence which was due to oversights on the part of the officials dealing with the matter.

Chlorofluorocarbons

Sir Hugh Rossi : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans exist to ensure the safe disposal of both chlorofluorocarbon refrigerant material and chlorofluorocarbon II in the foam in refrigeration and air-cooling equipment under the control of his Department.

Mr. Douglas Hogg [holding answer 13 July 1989] : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment the hon. Member for Surrey, South-West (Mrs. Bottomley), on 13 July at column 631.

Abbey National Shares

Ms. Richardson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the disqualification of widows from the free allocation of Abbey National shares as a consequence of the terms of section 116 of the Building Societies Act 1962 ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lilley : I have been asked to reply.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for East Lothian (Mr. Home Robertson) on 18 July 1989, Official Report, column 86.

SCOTLAND

HIV (Prisons)

Mr. Key : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many tests for HIV antibodies were carried out in prisons in Scotland in the last year for which figures are available ; and how many were positive.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Comprehensive figures are not available for past years. So far this year, at least 222 inmates in Scottish penal establishments have been tested for HIV antibodies. Of those tests, 18 proved positive.

Mr. Key : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements are made for clinical and psychological monitoring and care of HIV positive prisoners in Scotland.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Clinical monitoring and care of HIV positive prisoners is in the hands of prison medical officers, who consult outside colleagues and specialists as they judge necessary. If such prisoners require for clinical purposes to visit NHS facilities, appropriate arrangements are made. In some establishments regular clinics for HIV positive prisoners are run by NHS specialists. Full psychological services are provided within prisons, and on the counselling side staff are given specific training in dealing with HIV positive prisoners. Additionally, expert external counsellors are increasingly being made use of in prisons.


Column 507

Viral Infectivity Restrictions (Prisons)

Mr. Key : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy to introduce viral infectivity restrictions in Her Majesty's prisons in Scotland ; and if he will make a statement.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : My right hon. and learned Friend has not thought it appropriate to introduce viral infectivity restrictions in Scottish penal establishments, nor are there any plans for their introduction.


Column 508

Births

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of sets of (a) twins, (b) triplets, (c) quadruplets, (d) quintuplets and (e) sextuplets, born in Scotland in each year since 1980 ; and what was the total number of maternities in each of these years.

Mr. Michael Forsyth : The information is as follows :


Column 507


Multiple births and maternities, Scotland, 1980-1988                                            

            |Twins      |Triplets   |Quadruplets|Quintuplets|Sextuplets |Maternities            

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1980        |658        |4          |-          |-          |-          |68,689                 

1981        |611        |7          |-          |-          |-          |68,865                 

1982        |607        |6          |-          |-          |-          |65,963                 

1983        |677        |2          |-          |-          |-          |64,776                 

1984        |665        |10         |-          |-          |-          |64,800                 

1985        |682        |9          |-          |-          |-          |66,342                 

1986        |721        |10         |-          |-          |-          |65,456                 

1987        |721        |10         |-          |-          |-          |65,839                 

<1>1988     |706        |8          |1          |-          |-          |65,842                 

<1>Provisional figures.                                                                         

Youth Unemployment

Mr. Watson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the latest available figures for youth unemployment, as calculated under the juvos scheme, for each of the six wards within the Glasgow, Central constituency.

Mr. Lang : The number of unemployed claimants under the age of 25 for each of the six wards in the Glasgow, Central parliamentary constituency on 13 April 1989 (the latest date for which information is available) is set out in the table.


Ward                      |Unemployedclaimants under                          

                          |25                                                 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Calton                    |311                                                

Central                   |275                                                

Crosshill                 |318                                                

Hutchesontown             |327                                                

Kingston                  |240                                                

Queen's Park              |231                                                

                          |-------                                            

Total                     |1,702                                              

This information is available in the Library.                                 

Trading Standards Officers

Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many trading standards officers there are in each local authority area.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : This information is not held centrally.

Southern General Hospital, Glasgow

Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what reports the Solicitor-General has received of unauthorised entry being made to the Southern General hospital, Glasgow ; and if he will make a statement.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : I understand that the

procurator-fiscal, Glasgow, has received and is considering a report from the police concerning a person who


Column 508

gained unauthorised entry to the Southern general hospital, Glasgow. It is not proposed that a statement will be made.


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